Going back to the Jura mountains, but the part that's closer to us, we started in Balsthal near Olten, and climbed up a section of the mountain range that is split by a South-North passageway (called the Klus) which connects the wide open central plateau with the Thal Nature Park tucked in among the three chains of the Jura here. Not actually hiking on Route No.5, we simply wanted to walk over top of the edge along the passageway. The hike started and ended with a castle...
On a day with better visibility, we might have done an additional 20-minute climb to what is called the Roggenflue, from where you normally get a very wide view of the Alps to the South and the entire central plateau, but visibility being low, we put this detour off for another day. Instead we went to the recently-reopened Roggen Restaurant for French Fries and Icecream Sundaes, and then walked back down to Oensingen via the Neu Bechburg Castle, a magnificent structure that is visible far and wide as you travel the route from Olten to Solothurn.
On short-notice we then visited friends who live nearby, and we enjoyed the ever-improving view of the Alps which they enjoy regularly from their terrace. They informed us that every three years, the largest fireworks competition in Switzerland takes place exactly where we had hiked down that same day, and of course they have front row seats without the crowds!
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| Our excursion started in Balsthal on the North side of the mountain range, with some nice steps up toward the Alt-Falkenstein Castle |
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| Any hiking trails with stairs are my favourites |
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| Schloss Alt-Falkenstein, the first castle we passed on our way up the trail. Most possibly built in the 12th Century |
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| This kind of trail makes hiking more interesting |
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| First view South down the passage that divides the Jura Range. In the South you can just barely see the outline of the Bernese Alps |
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| North side of the passageway |
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| It was an interesting hike even without the view |
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| More steps! |
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| Up ahead is the Roggenflue. We walked up the open meadow but didn't go all the way to the top |
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| As it turned out, it was a very nice walk through the forest |
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| Can you see Urs? Below is the town of Balsthal |
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| The hills to the North are also part of the Jura. Below is Balsthal |
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| Even with the high cloud cover, the Bernese Alps looked very large and close by |
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| To the North, another passageway creates a cleft in the second Jura Chain, leading to the third Jura Chain. The large castle Neu Falkenstein used to guard the entrance to this passageway. This is, by the way, part of the Regional "Naturpark Thal" (Nature Park) |
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| Neu Falkenstein Castle is now a ruins, but a very nice one. There is a trail up to that, we hope to go one day soon. |
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| On this cold and windy day, it was pleasant and wind-still in the forest |
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| I was surprised that the forest floor here was still totally covered in bear garlic. The whole forest smelled like garlic! |
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| After a lunch of French Fries and ice cream at the Bergrestaurant Roggen (on the left), we continued South down the hill, after having bypassed the Roggenflue lookout point without taking the 40-minute detour up there. |
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| We were up on that ridge, having climbed up from behind there |
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| First sighting of Schloss Neu-Bechburg as we came up to it from behind. This is the castle you can see far and wide when traveling on the Central Plateau just to the South. Built approx. 1270 |
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| Up close you could only see parts of the castle from below, as we walked through the steep castle park |
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| From below is where you get the best view of Neu Bechburg, with Roggenflue behind it. |
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| For us this was a rather short hike, starting in Balsthal at the Old Falkenstein Castle, and walking via Roggenflue and Neu Bechburg Castle down to Oensingen. Not even 3 hours! |
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| From Oensingen we took the train 10 minutes to Niederbipp, to visit friends of ours |
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| Lovely Bernese-Style house in Niederbipp |
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| From the garden terrace in Niederbipp, this is the view they have to the East of where we walked over that afternoon: The restaurant is in the green meadow on the left, and the castle Neu Bechburg on the right. Just to the left of the castle is where the largest fireworks display in Switzerland takes place every three years, having started as a competition of lights between the communities on each side of the passageway |
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| And to the South, past the church towe, is the most fantastic view of the Bernese Alps, looking particular large when the Fön wind is blowing. On the right is the North wall of Mount Eiger. The point on the left is Mount Finsteraarhorn, the highest peak of the Bernese Alps |
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| Zoomed view of Mount Finsteraarhorn, the highest peak in the Bernese Alps |
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